Former Vice President Joe Biden dismissed President Trump’s claims that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower prior to November’s election.
Biden initially joked that they had tried to spy on Trump “five or six times,” but then said, “Are you serious? Are you serious?”
The former vice president also said that Trump owes Obama an apology for the accusations, which were shot down by FBI Director James Comey and National Security Agency Director James Rogers during a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee Monday.
“I think any gentleman would,” Biden said about a potential apology. “I always hold out hope that people can gain good manners.”
Trump’s initial charge came in a series of tweets on March 4 in which he claimed that Obama “wiretapped” Trump Tower and labeled the former president a “bad” or “sick” person. Biden was appearing on Capitol Hill to rally support against the American Health Care Act ahead of a planned Thursday vote. Prior to his brief speech, multiple speakers referred to Biden’s telling Obama on a hot mic that passing the Affordable Care Act was a “big f—-ing deal” — a moment Biden recalled before starting his remarks.
“I just want to tell Gov. Brown to be careful what he whispers to me,” Biden said, referring to California Gov. Jerry Brown, who stood over Biden’s right shoulder during the remarks. “Thank God my mother wasn’t around when that comment was picked up years ago.”
The former vice president hailed the current healthcare law a day before the seventh anniversary of when it became law, and predicted that the AHCA would not become law. However, he said he wasn’t sure the plan would be voted down in the House on Thursday.
“I’m not so confident. I’m hoping it’s not going to pass. It may pass here tomorrow, but this is not the end,” Biden said. “The American public are not going to put up with this. They’re not going to put up with these changes.”
As of Wednesday morning, Republicans were still corralling support for the measure, especially from the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), which has been a constant thorn in the side of House GOP leadership since the AHCA was announced over two weeks ago. Members of the HFC was set to meet at the White House with Trump Wednesday afternoon.
